


I'll Wait Around for an Answer to Appear

by stellewrites



Series: Maybe the World Won't Fall Apart [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Jason Todd-centric, M/M, Minor Character Death, angry Jason, i dont even want to count how many times ive used the word in this fic, if you've read the first one then you know who it is and why its still a happy ending, sad Jason, supportive batfam, theres a lot of mentions of guilt from like every character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-12 10:09:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17465531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellewrites/pseuds/stellewrites
Summary: Try to Speak, but Nobody Can Hear from Jason's perspective with some of his past and future included.It’s when they got intel about Ra’s creating a deadly virus that things went wrong.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> the long awaited sequel! I hope it's worth the wait, I loved writing for these two again. I tried to add more to the story so you weren't just rereading the same fic with a few words changed around
> 
> comments and kudos appreciated

It had been a year since Jason had come back from the dead and he’d spent the last 4 months trying to make up for what he’d done when he had first come back. He couldn’t blame his estranged family for the cautious distance they kept, even after his apology and promise that he was handling his rage much better. He could only work hard to prove himself. 

Dick was the first to trust him, having a soft spot for the little brother he’d lost. Jason knew he felt guilty over never really being there for him when he first started out as Robin, especially after the Joker killed him, but no matter how many times Jay tried to explain that he understood, Dick would get a dark look on his face, his shoulders slumping; Jason hated it. He stopped trying to relieve Dick of his guilt, god knows the Bats can be stubborn about that. He knew that it would take time to come to terms with his own shame and regrets. 

Damian warmed up to him surprisingly fast considering he had never heard nor seen of him previously, only knew of him as the murderous Red Hood. However, he knew of his grandfather’s pit and what it could do to a person’s mind. They never spoke about Jason’s time with Ra’s, but they would sit together on the roof in companionable silence, both trying to keep their own demons at bay. 

Bruce’s own guilt kept him from Jason for a long time, but when his second son cornered him one night, eyes downcast and fists clenched, Bruce had to face his mistakes head on, his guilt sitting even heavier in his chest at the sight of the unshed tears in Jason’s eyes. 

_“I’m that much of a fuck up, huh?” Jason laughed humourlessly. “You have barely spoke to me once since I came back, only on missions, and you can’t even look me in the eye. If you don’t want me here, tell me now and I’ll go.”_

Bruce hugged his second son for the first time in years. No words would be able to describe what he was feeling, the pain he felt knowing that Jason blamed Bruce’s silence on himself. He really needed to get better at communicating like Alfred suggested, especially if it’s for the benefit of his kids. 

Tim, on the other hand, was a completely different ball game. 

Jason had actively tried to kill the guy, left a nasty scar behind on his neck as a reminder to them both. Jason knew a simple apology and promise to be better wouldn’t be enough for Tim to start trusting and forgiving him any time soon.

 

\--- 

 

It happened by coincidence that Jason was visiting a hot dog vendor that he liked when he spotted the bird perched on a building near-by. He grappled up, making himself obviously known so that Red Robin could leave if he wanted. 

But instead, the young vigilante just froze, his muscles tense, and hot dog left half chewed in his mouth. 

“I was hoping to catch you, Red.”

“Yeah?” Tim swallowed thickly. “Going back on your promise already, Hood?” 

Jason winced, he kind of deserved that. 

“No, never,” Jason swore. He couldn’t imagine ever feeling that much rage again. “I wanted to ask for your advice on a case I’m working on at the moment. There’s something I’m missing, and I figured if anyone could work it out, it’d be you.” He shrugged, carefully stepping towards the ledge Tim was sat on. He dug into his pocket and threw a USB in Tim’s direction, keeping a bit of distance between them after seeing Tim’s hands clench as he moved. 

“Sure,” Tim said hesitantly, catching the USB in mid air. “I’ll give it a look. If I find anything, I’ll let you know.”

“Great, thanks, Red.” 

Jason nodded his thanks before leaping of the ledge and swinging towards his territory once more to continue his patrol. He never got his hot dog, but he couldn’t say he was all that disappointed with how his night had gone. 

 

\--- 

 

Tim started helping Jason on more and more of his cases, asking for back up in return on his own missions and patrols if he knew Jason was free or close by. 

He slowly started to open up, trusting Jason to save his skin against a group of armed thugs convinced Tim that maybe Jay didn’t want him dead anymore and Hood’s promise of ‘no killing’ covered him as well as the other Bats. They worked well together, able to assume the other’s moves before they happened, making them a lethal team. 

One night, when Jason was injured, they both went back to one of Tim’s safe houses to get patched up. Jason, on the cusp of passing out from exhaustion and blood loss, tipped his head towards the tv set up in front of the sofa and promptly started laughing, leaving a wide-eyed and worried Tim knelt before him. 

“Never would’a guessed you were a _Say Yes to the Dress_ fan, Timmy,” Jason chuckled. 

Tim’s head swivelled around to face the tv that had been left on pause after he left for patrol earlier that night. He huffed. 

“It’s a good show and I won’t hear otherwise,” he said stubbornly, tying the thread from Jay’s stitches with finality. 

“Oh, I agree, I’ve got this ep on record, so if you don’t mind keeping it paused so I don’t see any spoilers ‘til I go home tomorrow, I’d be real grateful.”

Tim snorted. 

“Sure thing, Jason.” 

He closed his eyes and felt a soft blanket be draped across his bare torso and legs before promptly falling asleep on Tim’s sofa. 

 

\--- 

 

The morning wasn’t as awkward as Tim was expecting it to be, considering, but maybe it shouldn’t have been as surprising as it was. After all, Jason had been putting in a lot of effort to prove himself to Tim and the rest of the Bats. And their… Friendship? had been slowly, but surely, developing for the last few months. Tim felt like he could trust Jason, they even had fun some nights during patrol, so the fact that their breakfast together the next morning was more pleasant than anything else, shouldn’t have taken Tim so aback. 

Jason had rolled his eyes at Tim’s bare cupboards, pulling out the cereal and milk and threatening that if he didn’t start buying groceries regularly, he’d tell Alfred where Tim was staying when out of the manor and let the old butler knock some sense into him. 

“No wonder you’re small, Tim.”

“I’m not small, Jason. You, Dick and Bruce are just over six foot tall.” Tim rolled his eyes. 

“You’re lean, too. Not got the breadth the rest of the Bats have got,” Jason backtracked at the pissy look Tim sent him. “Not saying you couldn’t kick all our asses, hell, I know first-hand how much power you pack, but you’re packing it in a small body. If Damian is baby bat, you’re baby bird.” Jason shrugged. 

“’Babybird’, really? You’ll never get it to stick.” 

“Mhmm, just wait till Dick hears me use it.” 

_“Shit.”_

 

\--- 

 

It was a month later, when they were hanging out as Tim and Jay, not as vigilantes, that Tim decided to show Jason his photograph collection. 

“Wait here,” he said, his hand resting on Jason’s shoulder as he pushed himself to stand from the sofa. 

“It’s not my birthday for another couple’a months, Timmy,” Jason said when he saw the box Tim brought back through. “Though if you’ve got a cake in the fridge too, there’s no point in letting it go to waste.” 

“Shut up,” Tim laughed, though Jason saw how his hands shook slightly as he lifted the lid to the box and handed him a photo album.

“Photos?” 

“Just open it.”

Jason did as he was told, his eyes widening as he took in the first few pages. 

“Holy shit, are these real?”

“Yeah. I took them.”

Jason whipped his head round to face Tim. 

“Seriously?”

Tim nodded nervously. 

“They’re amazing. How’d you even get these angles?” Jason saw how Tim’s shoulders seemed to droop in relief at his words and leant in slightly to rest their shoulders together. 

“I just climbed a few buildings.” Tim shrugged. 

“You just… How _old_ were you?” 

“Like six or seven?” Jason’s eyes widened in horror at the idea of a baby Tim traipsing through the shittiest areas of Gotham in hopes of spotting Bruce and Dick fighting crime. 

“How did Bruce never spot you?”

“I don’t know, I was sure I’d get a visit from Batman after Robin caught me one night,” Tim said almost shyly. 

“Dick caught you?” Jason started laughing, he could imagine the young vigilante berating a small Tim twiddling with his camera and promising to never follow them again, secretly crossing his fingers behind his back. 

“No, Jay, it was _you.”_

“Me- _What?_ You met me as Robin?” Jason spluttered. 

“I figured you probably wouldn’t remember, I know you lost a lot of memories to the pit, but,” Tim reached into the box and pulled out a second album, swapping with Jay. “I kept you and Dick separate, could tell the difference as soon as you became Robin. You didn’t pull your punches like Dick, couldn’t pull off the same flips.” 

Jason was speechless. The pit had taken a lot of his time as Robin from him, leaving behind only the pain and anger and regret he felt towards the end with the Joker and his mother. 

To be given some of it back, from Tim of all people, was overwhelming to Jason. 

“I’m not sure if I can look,” he whispered raggedly, looking at Tim apologetically. 

“It’s ok. If you want, you can just look at my favourite picture, the we can go back to looking at Dick and some of the awful suits he’s designed over the years before settling on his Nightwing design,” Tim suggested lightly. 

Jason nodded gratefully, smiling at the thought of some of Dicks fashion faux pas. 

Tim flipped through the pages to one with bent and well-worn edges, obviously one Tim had turned to often, though Jason didn’t comment. 

“You were always my favourite Robin and I hated that I had to replace you,” Tim said quietly as they looked at the picture, he ran his finger carefully over the edge of the photo. 

“Tim... I’m _so_ sorry, none of that was your fault, and what I did when I came back-.”

“It’s ok, Jay, I’ve already forgiven you.” Tim leant heavier against Jason’s side. 

He couldn’t resist the urge to dip his head and kiss Tim’s forehead. He closed the photo album. 

“Thanks, Babybird.” 

 

\--- 

 

It was a slow night, Gotham seemed to want to take a night off for once. Hood and Red Robin were playing tag across the rooftops to stay warm and busy, keeping one eye on the streets and the other on their partner. 

Tim dove across the roof, catching Jason mid step and landing them both in a giggling pile. 

“Got you,” he said breathlessly, rolling to lay at Jason’s side. 

“Yeah, ok, I was going easy on you.” Hood’s panting breath could be heard through his helmet. 

“Fuck you,” Red laughed, elbowing Hood’s ribs, knowing exactly where the weak spot in his suit was. 

Hood flinched before reaching to remove his helmet, revealing a sweaty, smiling face. 

“You’re such an asshole,” he said fondly. 

Tim grinned back. 

They laid there for a few minutes, catching their breath and listening to the non-stop bustle of Gotham. Jason turned his head towards Tim, watching his breath fog in the air, followed his tongue as he licked his lips, traced his way up his face only to freeze when he saw Tim was watching him back. 

“I, uh -.” 

Tim rolled on his side and kissed Jason firm and chaste, their lips chapped from the unforgiving cold of night time Gotham. 

“Do you wanna come back to mine and watch Say Yes to the Dress?” Jason rushed out as soon as they parted. 

“Yes,” Tim laughed.

“Good answer.” 

 

\--- 

 

Tim spent the night, and in the morning woke up to find Jay flopped half on top of him. And like that first morning they spent together, it wasn’t awkward, and this time Tim wasn’t surprised. This had been building for some time and he was glad they were on the same page, he was glad they were boyfriends. 

They decided to keep it lowkey at first, not wanting to jump the gun in case they decided a few weeks later that they’d be better as friends and have to awkwardly break the news to their family. But after a few weeks they got bored of having to sneak around some of the best detectives they know and decided to go to Bruce’s latest gala as dates, even if Jay did have to sneak out early in case people started to ask questions, it got the point across to their family, which was enough. 

They were supportive, thankful that both Tim and Jason had someone to look after them, to balance each other out. 

Tim planned on telling the Titans the next day when he visited, he knew Jay had already told Kori and Roy when they’d called for updates from wherever they were hiding out this time. 

 

\--- 

 

Tim was planning on proposing. 

A year later and they were still happier than they’d ever been. They’d had their arguments, broken up once or twice, but only temporarily and it made them stronger in the long run. He’d never loved anyone like he loved Jay, and he knew that the other boy felt the same. He couldn’t wait to see his reaction, as well as their family’s. 

 

\--- 

 

It’s when they got intel about Ra’s creating a deadly virus that things went wrong. 

They knew where Ra’s was, they just needed a solid plan to get in, stop him, and get out again relatively unharmed. Though when it comes to the night itself, their fight inside is surprisingly anticlimactic. They reached Ra’s quickly, though his smug look told them they were still too late. 

“Ah, Detectives, how nice of you to join me on such a remarkable day.” Ra’s stood with his hands resting behind his back. 

“And what’s so remarkable about today, Ra’s?” Batman’s eyes narrowed. 

“Detective, don’t you know?” Ra’s teased. “Today’s the day the new world order starts,” Ra’s said with flourish, bringing his arms forward and revealing a glass cannister in his left hand. 

Tim’s eyes flickered from the cannister to the large machine to the right of Ra’s. 

“The virus?” He asked, nodding his head at Ra’s hand. 

“Clever boy. Do you know what it’s going to do?”

“Give up now, grandfather. It doesn’t matter what it’s meant to do, you’re guaranteed to fail,” Damian interrupted. 

“Ah, sweet Damian, if only you hadn’t left home so soon, perhaps you would be stood by my side today. Alas, you shall have to die long with every other superfluous being that makes up this dying world.” Ra’s sneered. 

“And how are you going to do that? Make the disease airborne?” Jason stepped forward as he spoke and took Ra’s attention from Damian. “And how will you survive it?” 

“I’m going to be safe in my protection vault.” He motioned behind him. “You likely noticed a lack of bodies to hinder your way into my home. That’s because the ones that earned a place with me are safe in their own vaults underground, I will release them when I deem them ready for the new world.”

“And how long will that take?” Dick asked from where he was stood near the door they had barged through, not trusting Ra’s word that there would be no more ninjas coming to fight. 

“The human mind isn’t all that resilient when prodded in the right way, just ask Jason.” Ra’s smiled cruelly at how Hood had tensed. “This virus will infect the entire human race within a week, in fact, even Mr. Clark Kent won’t be safe from the madness it will cause.” 

Dick took a step forward as Ra’s spoke, his jaw clenching at the mention of Jason’s struggles with the pit, but he stopped pressing forward when he saw Ra’s eyes grow cold and he moved the cannister threateningly towards the machine that could end the human race. 

“Ah, ah, ah. You stay right where you are.” Ra’s lowered his arm into a more relaxed position, but his body was held more tensely than before. “I’ve been slowly acclimating myself to the virus, in a month or two it won’t affect me at all and the world will belong to me.” 

Tim leaped forward, tackling Ra’s and the virus into the vault. The rash move had caused Ra’s to crack his head against the wall, knocking him unconscious and letting the glass cannister fall to the ground to smash. 

Tim slapped his hand against the door panel, letting out a breath of relief when the door closed tight, only to feel his heart race at the realisation that he was trapped with the virus and with no way out. He looked at his family gathered at the other side of the door, horrified look mirrored on their faces, and slowly drops to his knees, an overwhelming feeling of fatigue taking over him. 

Jason suddenly rushed forward, barging into the door to try to force it open, taking out his guns when that didn’t work. He kicked at the door, pulled at its hinges while Dick tried to hack the key panel on the outside. 

“It’s no use, it opens from the inside,” he said, panicked and looking up at Bruce with wide, scared eyes. 

Tim crawled closer and lifted up a hand to the clear door, pressing his palm flat and smiling weakly. 

Jason stopped trying to force the door open, crouching down to face Tim, placing his hand opposite. 

“Hear that, baby? It opens from the inside, so I’m gonna need you to take a look at that keypad and get your ass out here, ok?” Jason’s voice grew more and more desperate the more he spoke. If they got the door open soon enough they would’ve still had a chance of making a cure and saving Tim. 

“I love you, Jason. Always and forever.” Tim considered telling Jason about the ring, but he figured it would be easier for the love of his life to get over him if he didn’t focus on what-if’s and could-have-been’s. 

“God fucking damn it, Tim,” Jason said, shaking his head. “Baby, go open the door. You know how to hack something this simple. Just turn around and open the door and we can _keep_ loving each other, ok? Can you do that? Just open the _fucking_ door! You can’t leave me! Why would you do something so _stupid?”_ Jason banged his fist against the window, tears streaming down his face free from his mask. “Get up, do it for me, Babybird, just get up and help me open the door,” he said defeated, his eyes closed. He couldn’t bear to watch the way Tim seemed to be deteriorating right in front of him. 

Tim’s hacking cough made his eyes shoot open and he let out a broken sound at the sight of the blood on the younger man’s lips and hand. 

“Tim…”

“Jay. Please, let me hear you say it,” he croaked. 

“I love you. I fucking _love_ you, Tim,” he choked out. “Always and forever, baby, right?” 

… 

“Right?”

…

“Baby?”

… 

_“Tim..?”_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason could remember the exact date and time that he last saw Timothy Drake Wayne alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the last part to this mini series!! I hope you've all enjoyed it and that the second part was worth the wait 
> 
> got this chapter out a little early because I had it written already and I figured I might as well 
> 
> comments and kudos are always appreciated :)

Two years later and Jason was still in mourning. 

He had thrown himself into his vigilante work, losing himself in his cases to try and fill the hole in his life. Knowing Tim wouldn’t have wanted him to slip back into his old ways had stopped him before it was too late, before he killed someone, but he was always close. His rage was constantly at the edge, his eyes seeing green in a blink. He never thought he’d feel this much rage again, but he never thought he’d lose... 

The criminals of Gotham knew to avoid the Red Hood since he didn’t seem to be pulling his punches anymore like the other bats, he could fall into fits of rage over crimes a year prior he would’ve let off with a slapped wrist and a warning. There were rumours it was related to the fact that Red Robin hadn’t been spotted on the streets for quite some time, but, wisely, no one mentioned it around the volatile vigilante. 

It had been an average night patrolling when Nightwing had radioed in asking for back up against a bunch of armed thugs he and Robin had been fighting. Once Jason arrived he noticed Nightwing was favouring his left leg, something the bad guys noticed as well going by how they had kept rushing at him from his right. 

Jason saw Robin nearby, and other than baring a few scrapes, he seemed fine enough for Jason to concentrate on helping out his older brother for the time being.

At the sight of his brother’s leg crumpling beneath one of the thugs’ boot, Jason saw red. Nightwing’s pained shout and the echoing snap of bone meant Jason held nothing back against whoever came within arms distance, only calming down when he felt Robin pull him back, asking for help to carry Nightwing back to the Cave. 

They got home, tired and weary, hoping Batman was able to complete his mission with less complications than their patrol. 

Jason went to bed exhausted, his chest feeling tight and empty after the fight and seeing Dick injured. He knew Alfred would make sure he was ok and that Damian was fine, but he couldn’t help the anxiety he felt. 

It didn’t help that his bed felt to big, he felt like he was drowning in the covers when he slept there. The large bed too spacious for one person, especially after sharing it for so long, fighting and losing every battle for a little extra bit of pillow each night. 

_He_ used to spread out across the mattress, stealing every bit of space he could, wrapping himself in half of the covers. 

Jason hadn’t grown used to the extra space and material yet. He usually ended up sleeping in the Cave or in a chair in the library after passing out from exhaustion, but Jay knew that wasn’t an option tonight after the look he was given by Alfred. 

 

\--- 

 

Jason had been up and training in the Cave since six the next morning after having only three restless hours of sleep. He knew Alfie would be worried but understood that he couldn’t just lie in his bed for another hour, staring at the ceiling; he needed to keep busy 24/7 these days. 

He stopped hitting the punching bag for a second, listening to the quiet of the Batcave, unable to hear much from his family in the manor above. He could’ve sworn he heard someone enter the cave, but when he got to the main room of the cave he couldn’t see anyone, and nothing was out of place. 

He and only just walked back to the training room and started working on his kicks when he heard Alfred’s voice call out to him from the stairs. 

“Alfred? What is it?” Jason asked, jogging out to where Alfred stood, his face pale and eyes worried. 

“Master Jason, I want to prepare you before you get to the kitchen.”

“Prepare me?” Jason frowned. 

“It’s- There’s no easy way of saying this, Master Jason, but it seems… Master Timothy is back.”

Jason’s mind went blank. His heart thudded heavily in his chest. 

_“What?”_

 

\--- 

 

Jason could remember the exact date and time that he last saw Timothy Drake Wayne alive, could remember every little detail of his face and body, his little ticks, and the cadence of his voice. 

This was not his Tim. 

But that didn’t matter, Jason pushed the voice to the back of his head as he approached the Tim that was stood in the middle of his kitchen surrounded by their family, asking frantically about the virus that killed him. Jason couldn’t even remember climbing the cave stairs and running to the kitchen, but there he was, panting at the door. 

“We kept it contained, Babybird,” he said breathlessly. 

The sound of his voice had Tim’s head snapping towards him, shock, and what Jason hoped wasn’t wariness, plain as day on his face. 

Jason took better stock of what his dead boyfriend looked like once he faced him. He couldn’t help but wince at the sight of his overall bloodied and ragged appearance. 

He stepped forward, reaching out a gentle hand for comfort. 

“What happened to you, baby?” He said softly, hating the idea of Tim going through anything harrowing without him there to help and support. It had always killed him inside when Tim had to go on undercover missions without him, but at least then they’d still have communication. Tim must’ve been alone for however long. 

He stopped, frozen and heartbroken, when Tim tensed at his advance, his bo staff glinting as he tightened his grip and shifted his stance to a more defensive one. 

Bruce stepped in before Jason could break down on the spot. 

“The Rage Infection, you didn’t stop it, did you?” Jason frowned at his words. What did he mean? Of course they stopped it, Bruce was there, he mourned his son’s death just like every other Bat mourned Tim. 

“No.” Tim rushed out, visibly swallowing back a sob. Jason was desperate to hold and comfort his boyfriend, but he didn’t know how he would react to Jason coming closer again. “No, we didn’t, and I’ve been the price ever since. I could tell this wasn’t my Gotham because there were no infected and… And you’re all alive.” 

Dick let out a sharp breath and Jason could tell his older brother was about a second away from wrapping Tim up in the tightest hug possible. But Jason was confused.

“Wait, what?” He turned to look at his brothers and father to ask for answers and saw Alfred in his peripheral looking just as confused. “What are you all talking about? ’Not your Gotham’? Who are you then?” Jason turned back to the imposter Tim, angry that he had been tricked into thinking the love of his life was back. Though when he looked closely, he could see this Tim’s differences and how he paled in comparison to _his_ Tim. 

The imposter had flinched at his tone, fear clear in his eyes, causing Jason to feel a lump of guilt to form at the bottom of his gut, but his anger won out as always and he kept scowling at Other Tim. 

“Jay, it’ still Tim. He’s just from another world? Universe? We don’t know yet,” Dick tried to calm his brother. He saw how worked up Jason was getting himself and knew it wouldn’t be good for anyone if he got set off. Especially considering how Tim had been watching his every move with tense muscles, prepared for fight or flight, just like Bruce taught them. He didn’t want to lose his middle brother again, he couldn’t, and if he could stop him from fleeing the mansion by keeping Jay calm, he would try his best. “All we know is that the last years and a half have been a Hell of a lot different for him.” 

“More than likely longer going by how confused Tim looked when you called him by Master Timothy’s old nickname,” Alfred added as he subtly moved Jason further away from Tim and pushed Dick back into his seat. 

“Why don’t we ask him some questions about his life and see if his answers line up with what we know about our Drake? That way we can figure out where things changed,” Damian spoke up carefully, not wanting to spook Tim like Jason had.

“I think we should let Master Timothy shower and get changed before we start interrogating him, don’t you?” Alfred asked rhetorically. Jason once again took in how tired and weak Tim looked, how torn and dirty his Red Robin uniform was. 

“Right. We’ll be in downstairs when you’re finished, Tim,” Bruce decided, not letting Jason get another word in. Though he wouldn’t have argued against it anyway, the guilt from scaring Other Tim earlier was still churning uneasily in his stomach. 

 

\--- 

 

Jason’s head was reeling as he walked down the Batcave steps behind Bruce.

Tim was back, but it wasn’t actually Tim, and going by what Tim had said, this Tim had never been in a relationship with Jason, in fact, he’d flinched away from Jason several times. 

This wasn’t Jason’s Tim and he didn’t know how to deal with that.

Having what he’d wanted, needed, so badly for the last two years appear before him, but not exactly _right,_ not the same. It was tearing him apart. 

“Are you ok, Jay?” Dick asked him. 

“Hm? Oh, yeah, yeah. Just _peachy,_ Dick,” Jason said bitingly. 

Dick sighed sadly. “We should ask him about his version of us, maybe feel out what his relationships were like before telling him about our Tim.”

“Good idea, Dick. We don’t want him to panic, we don’t know what he’s capable of. His rules might not be the same as ours.” Bruce nodded, looking at his family with well-hidden concern. 

“Tim wouldn’t kill,” Jason said firmly. 

“Our Tim, you mean,” Dick corrected. 

“No. Any Tim,” Jason said with confidence. “I know Tim, he wouldn’t kill unless it was necessary. He wouldn’t hurt his family.”   
Jason didn’t meet anyone’s eyes. 

“We should find out what he knows of the virus, it may help us in the future in case we don’t stop the next virus in time,” Damian suggested after a thick silence. 

“It may be a difficult subject for him, Master Damian, since it seems he lost us all to the virus one way or another.” Alfred settled next to the youngest vigilante, resting a supportive hand on his shoulder. The young boy was just as shook up at the sight of his dead brother as everyone else, he was a little better at hiding it after growing up with the League. 

It wasn’t long before Tim came down the stairs dressed in his original’s comfiest clothing. He sat in front of them all near the computer screens and spoke. 

“Ok, so biggest difference is obviously the RV Infection, but from the sounds of it, you guys think things were different before that. So, ask away.” He spread his palms wide and gestured to the Bats in front of him. 

“We dated,” Jason blurted out accidentally. He hoped Tim’s reaction wouldn’t hurt too much, but he couldn’t stop looking at him, needing to see every detail even if it was of Tim’s disgust.

“Wh- We did what?” Tim asked, obviously taken aback. Jason watched with a sinking feeling as he looked at the rest of his family, as if checking if Jason was lying. “Dating? _Us?”_

Jason laughed bitterly, finally looking away to give himself a chance to hide his budding tears. “I guess we know something else that’s different, huh?”

“I thought we agreed to ease him in to the knowledge of your relationship, Jason,” Bruce sighed. He knew Jason was hurting, but this wouldn’t help matters. 

“Yeah, well, I couldn’t fucking stand the idea of waiting. And obviously he doesn’t care about me, so no harm done, right?” Jason said hoarsely, avoiding Tim’s gaze. His hands clenched as the familiar feeling of rage and pain built up in his chest and the need to beat the shit out of anyone or thing nearby slowly grew. 

But of course, Tim brought him back. Just like he always used to. 

“I care about you, Jason.” 

His voice was soft, but firm.

“Even before the virus, when you’d be trying to kill me, I still cared about you. And then after, you were the last one left, we only had each other. But you hated me even then, sometimes I thought you might hate me more than you wanted to survive.” 

Jason’s heart broke for a different reason as he listed to Tim speak. His hands were limp by his sides, only twitching with the need to reach out or Tim like old times. 

“How many times did Jason, _your Jason,_ try to kill you?” Dick asked hesitantly, keeping one eye on Jason.

“I don’t know, four or five times, I think,” Tim said, absently rubbing his abdomen. Jason could only imagine there was some awful scar hidden from view beneath the soft t-shirt. 

“Jesus, Babybird, no wonder you flinched when I got close to you before,” Jason said wetly, letting the nickname slip as he tried to hold back tears. He couldn’t imagine trying to hurt his Tim like that, not after the first time. “I’m not proud of it, but I tried to hurt my Tim, as well, when I first came back. But I worked through the Pit’s influence after that, I couldn’t deal with the rage all the time.” He clenched his hands around the edge of the table until his knuckles were white, he’d done so well at controlling his rage with Tim by his side. He’d be so disappointed that Jason had let it creep back up like this. Jason let his hands go lax when he felt Dick rest a hand on his shoulder and leant into the comforting gesture.

“You were in your Red Robin suit, like our Tim, but were you a part of the Teen Titans?” Damian took Tim’s attention away from the two older brothers. 

“I was their leader,” Tim smiled sadly at the mention of his friends. “Are they… Are they all ok?” He asked hopefully.

“Yeah, they’re all fine, Tim. They’ll be excited to know you’re here, or, at least, that a version of you is.” Dick smiled at the soft look on Tim’s face, glad that they could bring him even just a little bit more happiness. 

“I’ll have to visit them before I leave,” Tim said, nodding decisively. 

“You’re _leaving?”_ Jason asked. He stood up straight at the news, trying to ignore how his stomach tied itself in knots at the words. 

“Where are you going?” Bruce asked with a blank face, revealing nothing to the young Red Robin. He stepped towards his youngest adopted son when no answer was forthcoming.

“W-well, I figured you guys wouldn’t want me sticking around, y’know? I’m a walking, talking reminder of someone you lost. No one wants that,” Tim said smiling self depreciatingly and shrugging faux casually. 

“Master Timothy, we would never send you back to your own Gotham unless you wanted to go, you’ll always be welcome here,” Alfred said comfortingly, Damian smiling encouragingly next to him. 

Jason had to let Tim know he was welcome here with them. He wouldn’t be the reason Tim left, it might just break him completely to think he’d failed Tim twice. Maybe they both deserved second chances, and if that meant they stayed friends, then Jason would always choose that over no Tim at all. 

“Yeah, no offense, Timbo, but you looked like Hell when you first arrived. And you said you were alone there, why the fuck would we ever make you go back?” Jason saw Dick nod emphatically along to his words. “You’re stuck with us.”

Tim’s small smile was even better than Jay remembered, his hope filled voice even sweeter.

“Ok, I’m stuck with you.”

 

\--- 

 

Their connection was undeniable; their friendship blossomed into a relationship after Tim had been in that universe for around six months and they only grew stronger as time passed by. 

Jason had felt conflicted on the anniversary of Tim’s death, feeling confused and like he was trying to replace him, it took him many years to work past his guilt, but with his family and Tim by his side, he was slowly making progress. 

He held back in fights, relearning how to pull his punches, finding an anchor for his rage. Sometimes he’d still slip up, even years later, when his family was in danger or after he’d argued with Tim, but he was working on it. 

They married in the summer, surrounded by their family and friends, the baking heat of the Gotham sun causing them to sweat profusely underneath their dark suits; but Jason couldn’t have asked for anything better. 

They’d lost so much in the Winter, it was time to start making happy memories and slowly they’d push their way through the year and replace the sad memories with happy ones. 

Technically the marriage wasn’t legal since Jason had to use a fake name on the certificate, but the beaming grin on Tim’s face was worth the hassle of making official, fake documents for a new ID. Their kiss was more teeth with how they were smiling into each other’s mouths, and Jason would forever remember the way Tim had giggled breathlessly into his mouth, his hands firm on Jason’s face, not letting him pull back an inch. 

He’d never forget the full feeling in his chest when he looked from his husband’s joy filled eyes to the proud and tearful faces of his family. 

They were happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> obviously if you've read the first part, you knew it was going to be a happy ending, but at least we got to see a little more of how Jason dealt with it all. idk if it seems like its just a repeat of the last fic, but I tried to add new stuff to it, and I made sure the first chapter was all completely new 
> 
> stay tuned for my next jaytim fic - a no capes, college au with an abo aspect to it

**Author's Note:**

> gonna be honest, i've never seen say yes to the dress but my friend loves it so I figured i'd include it & I completely made up the whole memory loss from the pit thing unless any of you have read smth similar before 
> 
> left it on a little bit of angst, but the final part to this au will be up soon enough


End file.
